Take a Second Look

Just about every night when we tuck the kids in, or during our Bible time in the afternoon, the kids and I pray for some of the kids we love who are listed on Reece's Rainbow.  We all have our "favorites" and the kids won't let me forget if we haven't prayed for our boys that day.  The long running faves are (in no particular order..):

Heath (duh),

Heath

Hanson 
(almost definitely spends all of his days in a crib),

Hanson

Sasha 
(Sasha was recently transferred to the Lost Boys, so he's an automatic "in"),

Sasha

and last, but certainly not least,

Aiden 
(the Reece's Rainbow baby of my heart).

Aiden

Aiden is so beautiful.  If we could adopt right now Jed would be hard-pressed to keep me away from Aiden.  My heart aches with love for him.  If you are interested in adopting Aiden please know that you have a huge fan and cheerleader in me!  Heath, Hanson, and Sasha all live at The Lost Boys institution that Jed and I visited in April.  That place, and the boys that live there have been firmly rooted in our hearts.  They are the ones God used to tug at our hearts, and now look how far we've been tugged!  :)

Although my kids love to pray for their boys, I didn't really know how much they truly understood about it all.  "All" being the orphan crisis, Reece's Rainbow, mental institutions, disabled children, abandoned babies...I mean, it's a lot to handle.  It's a lot to grasp and I have always wondered if the praying was something they did because it is truly important to them, or if they just know it is what our family does.  We do orphans.  We do Reece's Rainbow.  We do Lost Boys.  We do abandoned babies.  I want them to get it as much as they are developmentally able, because we are changing everything about our lives for that call. 

Well, I don't need to wonder any longer.  This week they got it.

Remember we visited our friends Ben and Melanie last weekend?  They have 5 awesome kids and one of them just happens to mean just a little something extra special to us.  Their son Judd was adopted from "The Lost Boys" institution that we visited in April.  That is the very place where Heath, Hanson, and Sasha currently live. When Ben and Melanie visited us in July we told the kids all about Judd and where he came from.  But I see now that they didn't really understand.


A couple nights ago we were tucking in for bed and praying for our boys.  We prayed for Heath and I mentioned to the kids how awesome it will be when Heath has a family just like Judd does now.  "Remember that Judd used to be a Lost Boy like Heath?" I reminded the kids.

Wide eyes all around.  "Judd used to be a Lost Boy?  What do you mean Mommy?"
"Judd lived where Heath, Hanson, and Sasha live until Ben and Melanie adopted him."
"Was Judd on Reece's Rainbow???"
"Yes, he was on Reece's Rainbow and his name was Brady."

First thing the next morning we were on Reece's Rainbow looking up Judd's old picture.

Judd, aka "Brady"

  The kids were in shock.  I could see the light bulbs going off like crazy.  That little sweetie staring back at the camera was Judd.  Judd who they had just played with and hugged.  Judd who they had just argued with and tattled on (haha, let's be real here), :) Judd who is now a brother, son, friend. 

Judd in the Lost Boys institution during the adoption process

 In that moment I knew that my kids understood what many people fail to understand, or don't want to understand.

These are real children.  These are real lives.  These are children created with a purpose and a destiny.  God has plans for them, and His plans are good.

Judd and Daddy at the Institution

Heath is not just the little boy in the pink chair.  Hanson is not just the little boy in the hideous pink and purple outfit.  They are little boys with purpose and destiny- created in the image of God.

Judd and Mama, at the institution

Just like Judd.

This September, first day of school!

Today on Orphan Sunday I ask you to take another look at our boys.  Look past the clothes, look past the disability, look past the "orphan" label.  Look at the child.  Look at the life and the potential just waiting to bust out.  Look with eyes of hope.

At our house getting some cuddles from Mama

As you look, pray.  Be quiet.  Be still and simply ask the Lord how He would like you to respond.  It is true that not everyone is called to adopt, but everyone is called to respond to the orphan and the widow in some way. (James 1:27)

We can all do something.  We can pray, we can give financially, we can give support through friendship, we can foster, we can adopt, we can love on the widow who spends her days sitting alone in the nursing home...

We can all be the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth. 

Judd and Mama, 3 weeks ago

It may be uncomfortable and it will most definitely be stretching. 

But I promise it will be worth it.

Just ask Judd.

For more information on any of the boys listed in this post click on their names and you will be directed to their Reece's Rainbow profile.  Feel free to email or leave a comment with any questions.  I'd be happy to talk your ear off about any of this!  :)